Colorado CDL DMV Knowledge Test Class B 1

Focusing on your mirrors for too long can be dangerous because you will have traveled a substantial distance without looking at the road ahead.

To reduce the chances of driving distracted, you should avoid eating, drinking, or smoking while driving. Anything that diverts attention from the task of driving is a distraction.

Never apply the brake pedal if your spring breaks are activated. Brakes can be damaged if they are subject to both springs and air pressure.

In general, if you operate a commercial vehicle in interstate commerce, it must be registered under the International Registration Plan (IRP) and International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). These programs collect and distribute vehicle registration fees and fuel taxes based on what jurisdictions you drive in and for how long. Mileage and fuel records supporting IFTA quarterly fuel tax returns must be retained by carriers for four years.

If you must drive in fog, you should use your low beam headlights and fog lights, even during the daytime.

To maintain proper control of your vehicle, the steering wheel should be held firmly with both hands. Your hands should be positioned on opposite sides of the wheel.

Areas with heavy traffic, road construction, large numbers of pedestrians, or severe weather demand extra attention from a driver. The driver should avoid all possible distractions while in such areas, including cell phone use.

A safety belt is your best defense in the event of a collision. You must always wear a safety belt while operating a CMV.

If a pre-trip inspection reveals anything unsafe about your vehicle, you must get it repaired. It is illegal to operate an unsafe vehicle.

Cargo should be inspected before beginning a trip, within the first 50 miles of the trip, and every three hours or 150 miles traveled. The driver of a truck transporting cargo is responsible for the cargo being safely secured throughout the trip.

Wheels or rims with welding repairs are not safe.

It is important to observe other drivers' behaviors and identify clues that indicate when person could be driving impaired. Drivers who have had too much to drink, are sleepy, are on drugs, or are ill can present hazards to other drivers. A person driving with their window open in cold weather may be impaired.

Brakes heat up with use. If they are overused and become too hot, expansion and chemical changes will make them less effective and eventually cause them to stop working altogether. This is known as "brake fade."

Driving with a dry bulk tank requires special care, both because dry bulk tanks have high centers of gravity and because their loads often shift in transit. Be especially careful when taking turns and curves while operating such a vehicle.

When driving a school bus, you must activate your four-way flashers while approaching and crossing a railroad crossing. Deactivate the flashers once your entire vehicle has cleared the tracks.

Front-end header boards, also known as "headache racks," protect the driver from cargo moving in the event of a crash or emergency stop.

If your vehicle gets stuck on railroad tracks, immediately exit the vehicle and get away from the tracks. Check signs or signal housing at the crossing for emergency contact information. Call the emergency contact or call 911.

During the on-road driving skills test, make sure you do not put your vehicle over curbs, sidewalks, or lane markings. Stop behind stop lines, crosswalks, or stop signs. On multiple-lane roads, complete turns in the proper lane. Always move to or remain in the rightmost lane, unless the lane is blocked.

A broken exhaust system can allow poisonous fumes to enter a vehicle's cab or sleeper berth. Be sure to regularly check your exhaust system for defects.

Some older vehicles with air brakes have front brake limiting valves. These valves were intended to reduce the risk of front wheels skidding. However, research has shown that such devices are unnecessary, so they should be left in the "normal" position.

There may be a delay of a few seconds between the sound of a tire failing and the time that the vehicle is affected by the tire failure. Because of the short delay, a driver may initially believe that the sound came from another vehicle.

Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) is defined as the total weight of a single vehicle in addition to its load.

To avoid becoming an aggressive driver, begin a trip with realistic expectations of how long the trip will take, allowing extra time for traffic delays. Do not tailgate other vehicles. To avoid upsetting other drivers, do not drive slowly in the left lane and do not gesture at the drivers (even in seemingly minor ways, like shaking your head).

Cargo on a flatbed trailer should be secured by at least one tie-down for every 10 feet of the cargo's length. Cargo should be secured by a minimum of two tie-downs, regardless of size.

Cargo on flatbed trailers or trailers without sides must be tied down to prevent it from shifting or falling in transit.

Before inspecting the engine compartment, make sure that the parking brakes are on and/or the wheels are chocked. Check the engine compartment before entering the cab and starting the engine.

A person cannot have more than one license. States share driver data through a computer database to prevent the issuance of duplicate licenses.

For the first step of a vehicle inspection, you should review the last inspection report on your vehicle, if there is one. The carrier should have repaired any problems noted on the report.

Doing an inspection the same way every time will help you learn the necessary steps. You will be less likely to forget a step if you get into a routine.

During the on-road driving test, you must drive in a safe and responsible manner; wear your safety belt; obey all traffic signs, signals, and laws; and complete the test without any accidents or moving violations.

Most heavy vehicles with manual transmissions require double clutching to change gears. A driver should release the accelerator, push in the clutch, and shift into neutral at the same time. After releasing the clutch and allowing the vehicle to change to the necessary speed, the driver should push in the clutch, shift gears, then simultaneously release the clutch and accelerate.

During the on-road driving skills test, you will be asked to pull your vehicle over to the side of the road and stop as if you were going to get out and check something on your vehicle. As you prepare to make this stop, you must check traffic; activate your turn signal; decelerate smoothly with even braking, changing gears as needed; and bring your vehicle to a full stop without coasting.

To prevent the build up of oil and water in a vehicle's air tanks, manually operated air tank drains should be used at the end of each day of driving.

If a federal or state inspector judges a CMV to be unsafe, they may put it out-of-service until it is fixed.

To operate in both excepted intrastate commerce and non-excepted intrastate commerce, you must choose a non-excepted intrastate commerce license.